Saskia Morrison-Thiagu

When the sun comes out to play, Melbourne's glorious rooftop bars draw in flocks of thirsty revellers with their crisp, cool bevvies and sweeping city views. Maybe it's the higher altitude, but drinking is just more fun from above. So start climbing those stairs – or keep your fingers crossed for a lift – and check out Melbourne's best rooftop bars now.  Editor's favourite rooftop bars in Melbourne: 🥂 Best for a special occasion: Beverly 👠 Best for a hot date night: Her Rooftop 🍴 Best for snacks: Johnny's Green Room 🌇 Best for sunset views: Naked in the Sky or Harvie 👯 Best for a friends' catch-up: Morris House Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. Still thirsty? We've rounded up the best wine bars in Melbourne.

Brunch is a beloved institution across Melbourne. It doesn't require an early wake-up call and is simultaneously on the right side of the day, so you can still have your avo on toast if you need it. But how do you improve on perfection? By adding bottomless drinks, of course. Bottomless brunches have taken our city by storm, and if you've done one, you've no doubt discussed tactics with friends: what to drink, how to pace yourself, the best way to grab the waiter's attention and if it's possible to surreptitiously double park. After all, bottomless brunches are all about getting the best value and a healthy buzz. And not dissimilar to the chicken and egg debate, are drinks or food more crucial when selecting your venue? We believe you can have the best of both. We've compiled a list of Melbourne's best bottomless brunches so that you can enjoy your feast with a great selection of limitless bevs.  Only after a great coffee? Here are our fave spots in the CBD to get a fix. Planning a big day and night? Kick on at the best late-night bars in Melbourne.

There’s a reason Bali is one of the most sought-after destinations for Aussie travellers, and it’s not just its close-ish proximity. Think soul-searching experiences in the lush jungles of Ubud, thrilling adventures in Tanah Lot’s mighty surfs, and cosmopolitan pursuits in the buzzy cafés, restaurants and beach clubs of Kuta and Canggu. All this to say – this island is always worth a visit. Travellers looking for a touch of luxury will do well in the south of Bali. A relatively quiet region, it’s dotted with 5-star hotels that offer bespoke experiences steeped in Balinese culture and tradition. Three resorts come at the top of our list: Umana Bali for a blissful luxe hideaway in stunning villas, Conrad Bali for a vibrant tropical stay replete with guest experiences, and Hilton Bali Resort for wholesome adventures on every corner.

There is nothing that comes close to the thrill of experiencing an orchestra performing live. It’s one of those things that you really have to see to understand. Being enveloped in an ocean of sound as 80 musicians move as one, will scratch an itch you didn’t know you had. That’s why attending a Sydney Symphony Orchestra performance should be a bucket-list item for every Australian – especially when you also get to experience it at the world-class Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.  The Orchestra’s 2025 concert season is full of unforgettable moments, and it doesn’t get any bigger than when Chief Conductor Simone Young conducts Mahler’s Third Symphony  (February 19–22). Internationally acclaimed for her interpretations of Mahler’s colossal music, Young brings her formidable experience to his most ambitious symphony. Requiring a full orchestra, two choirs and a vocal soloist, this is a great way to kick the new year off with a bang.  Simone Young is back at the podium the following week with music by two of the greatest English composers, Elgar and Vaughan Williams (February 28–March 2). This spellbinding concert will pull at your heartstrings and set your spirit soaring – just like the magnificent white sails of the Opera House that soar above the harbour.  As if that’s not exciting enough, in March one of the world’s greatest violinists will  perform Brahms' Violin Concerto – one of the most incredible pieces of music ever written. Hear why Canadian James Ehnes is considered i

Australia's most awarded playwright, Patricia Cornelius, and acclaimed director Susie Dee have teamed up for a thought-provoking deep dive into the idea of surveillance and the cost of being a whistleblower. The play, aptly titled, Truth – is inspired by the life of Julian Assange, as well as whistleblowers Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning. Those who are familiar with the work of Patricia Cornelius, will know that the play won’t just be a Julian Assange biopic. Cornelius’ work is often interested in dissecting class dynamics and the way that marginalised communities function in a society.  The playwright, author and screenwriter recently adapted Who’s Afraid of the Working Class? (which she also co-wrote) into the film Blessed. The story follows fringe dwellers, living in an age of social, economic and moral deprivation. So it’s no surprise that she is drawn to a figure like Assange as subject matter. “It’s interesting how most people refer to it as a work about Julian Assange,” Cornelius says in an interview for Malthouse Theatre. “I would describe it as a play about being silenced.”  Patricia Cornelius and Susie Dee have become a powerful duo in the theatre space over the last 35 years. They first came together as actors in a play Cornelius wrote called Lily and May. The production was performed in the incompletely renovated Malthouse Theatre in 1987, and was technically Malthouse’s first performance, as the company was previously known as the Playbox Theatre

When the summer holidays hit, the city comes alive with fun activities for kids. But what about big kids (cough adults cough)? Adults also deserve to have fun this summer and the Maritime Museum has it all. No, really – we’re talking building Lego, life drawing, sunrise yoga and Aperol parties for grown-ups. So dive into our list below, and most importantly have fun.

Damn, 2024 came through with some absolute bangers. We had Brat summer with hit-after-hit from Charli xcx, but we also saw Sabrina Carpenter sing silly little outros to her sleeper hit Nonsense, Taylor Swift quite simply refusing to leave the charts (by any means necessary) and Chappell Roan catapult into fame faster than you can say ‘Pink Pony Club’. The past year really was for the pop girlies. But what are the songs that defined the year? Well, aside from the above, we’ve seen chart-topping country boy crooners, instantly iconic rap takedowns and joyously twee indie – all making 2024 a pretty stellar year for new music. I was tasked with building our ranking of the best songs of 2024 and compiled this list by asking our amazing international team of writers and editors to contribute their year-defining tracks. Expect to find a global list of tunes, from personal favourites to chart-toppers that simply can’t be ignored. 

While some people say that cuffing season is for the colder months, we think the best time to get boo’d up is during the Australian summer when there are plenty of date night activities to keep you busy. A perfect example is a theatre outing to see one of the biggest musicals to hit the global stage in recent history, and now it's making its Melbourne debut. You guessed it, it’s the Tony award-winning show Dear Evan Hansen. So here’s how you can have the ultimate date night in Melbourne this summer, and we promise your boo won’t be dissapointed.  If the weather is nice, take the long way from Flinders Street through Alexandra Gardens to enjoy some people watching and maybe a bit of pre-show canoodling. Or, slink across to Fed Square for dinner at the much beloved rooftop Transit Bar – boasting a stacked menu and prime city views.  Then, who needs Paris when we’ve got our very own Eiffel Tower at the Arts Centre Melbourne – which also happens to be the location of Dear Evan Hansen.  Kick back at The Barre located in the Arts Centre for a quick bite and a tipple before the show, and really soak in the atmosphere and the excellent conversation with your date. This little slice of luxury is the perfect way to tell your date: “yes, I am a person of culture”.  Before you know it, it'll be time to sit down and absorb the musical smash-hit that is Dear Evan Hansen. But be warned, you both might need a tissue box as the show can be a bit of a tear jerker *cue your arm casually droppin

One fell madly in love with a sumptuous sundae-style dessert at a new French restaurant, another just couldn't get enough of a pop-up's fried chicken burgers. But no matter what dishes sent the Time Out team into a scrumptious spin, one thing's for sure: it would be selfish to keep them a secret! So read on for a hit list of everything we tried in 2024 that had us swooning, so you can go and have a taste, too. Still hungry? Check out the 50 best restaurants in Melbourne right now. And if you're thirsty, these are the 50 best bars in Melbourne right now.

Looking for the perfect gift? If so, give the ultimate Christmas pressie with a personalised bottle of gin, whisky or vodka with Archie Rose. For whisky lovers, craft your own blend using up to two Australian-grown malts – like a delicious NSW chocolate malt or native stringybark smoked malt. As for the gin and vodka devotees, you can select up to five sustainably sourced botanicals like mandarin peel, lemon myrtle and Australian peach. Each blend really becomes your own as you select each flavour profile and how prominent you want each flavour. You also have the option of selecting from pre-made blends too, if you’re not ready to take the full plunge. Then, customise an art label with a name on the front and with a heartfelt, cheeky or Christmas-themed message on the back. When Tailored Spirits are ordered online, they take three to five business days to produce and are then dispatched for shipping from Archie Rosie’s production site in Botany in Sydney. Make sure to place your order before December 15 to ensure your special someone's bottle arrives in time for Christmas. To purchase Archie Rose Tailored Spirits, Signature Range and Limited Edition products online, head to the website.

Yeehaw! The biggest country music festival in the Southern Hemisphere is back, and it’s a must for country music lovers around the nation. The Toyota 53rd Tamworth Country Music Festival is a ten-day celebration running in January that will take over Australia’s country music capital, Tamworth. The best part about this festival is that it’s super family-friendly, with plenty of acts for old and young – even a one-of-a-kind performance from The Wiggles. So giddy up partners because we’ve got you covered with our festival top picks that are bound to get you boot-scootin’ in no time.

If one thing is certain, it’s scammers taking advantage of certain times of the year and moments in life – such as people’s lowered defences during the year’s biggest sales. You already know that prices of your favourite brands will be lower than usual, but sometimes these prices are almost too good to be true – which means they probably are.  Through the useful tips below, learn to develop your scam-sense.

Bunnings is certainly having a moment right now, with the sold-out Bunnings Warehouse rave taking over Preston in August and now, an improvised comedy about the sausage sizzle gods has arrived at Melbourne Fringe Festival.  Lowest Prices Are Just The Beginning, an improvised show about the cult of DIY, is clever, hilarious and downright absurd. If you haven’t seen improv before, then it may be hard to imagine that it could be anything more than ten strangers with social anxiety chanting “Yes, and” in a circle. However, long-form improv puts the emphasis on storytelling and if done well, you’re left with a polished hour-long show where each character arc is tied up neatly(ish) in the show’s finale.  Well that’s exactly what happens in Lowest Prices Are Just The Beginning. The red polo-clad staff who work for an unidentified DIY shop (*cough* it’s Bunnings *cough*) embark on a DIY journey inspired by an audience suggestion, which eventually  comes back around full circle.  Upon entry into North Melbourne’s Club Voltaire, audience members write down their “dream DIY project”, which will become the inspiration for that night’s show. Whoever wrote “dripping tap” as a suggestion definitely has a sick sense of humour, but the improvised story that evolved from it did not disappoint (although, I’m still gutted that my suggestion of “Liam Payne cloning device” didn’t make the cut).  What unfolded was a hodge-podge of piss jokes, horny staff members, virgin staff members and heinous on

What would you do if you met your older self? What would you want to know? And what if that older version of you was Aubrey Plaza? Sounds like heaven right? That’s the tantalising premise of Megan Park’s coming-of-age flick My Old Ass. Elliott (Maisy Stella) is a precocious queer 18-year-old gearing up to leave her small Canadian town and start college at the end of the summer. She’s confident and sassy, which is why celebrating her birthday with a shroom-fuelled camping trip alongside her two best friends (including Dance Moms star Maddie Ziegler) seems like a sound idea. Except, unlike your typical shrooms trip, Elliott meets her ‘old ass’ 39-year-old self, played by Plaza, amid the haze. From there, things get even more complicated as she meets Chad (Wednesday’s Percy Hynes White) and her nonchalant attitude toward her hometown starts to evolve with her new-found romantic feelings. My Old Ass plays with those romcom clichés, subverting them with a boy-meets-lesbian storyline and loads of quippy dialogue – even if some of the characters are a little two-dimensional. The Gen Z romcom comes into its own here That rings especially true for Elliott, who never quite delivers the complexities that come with being a queer woman. While her drug-induced confession that she wanted to be Justin Bieber when she was younger is funny, it’s an all-too-easy way of giving her a queer backstory – especially since the main love interest is a man. Despite the sci-fi premise, the film presents

What would you do if you met your older self? What would you want to know? And what if that older version of you was Aubrey Plaza? Sounds like heaven right? Well that’s the premise of the coming-of-age flick My Old Ass. Elliott (played by Maisy Stella) is a precocious 18-year-old gearing up to start college after the summer break and leave the confines of her small Canadian town. She is confident and sassy, which is why celebrating her birthday with a shrooms-fuelled camping trip alongside her two best friends (including Dance Moms star Maddie Ziegler) seems like a totally normal idea. Except unlike your typical shrooms trip (realising our collective consciousness and running around naked at a music festival, anyone?) Elliott meets her ‘old ass’ 39-year-old self, played by Aubrey Plaza, who comes from a time when sirens blaze over speakers and Penelope Disick is a transcendental meditation leader.  Despite its Sci-Fi -premise, the film presents as more of a Gen Z rom-com – a genre that is typically (and perhaps unfairly) given the straight-to-streaming treatment. My Old Ass plays on rom-com cliches while equally subverting them with its boy-meets-lesbian storyline and plenty of quippy dialogue that is too niche for Netflix.  It’s a film that you could happily watch at a sleepover with five teenagers, and yet also watch with your cinephile boyfriend who would never be caught dead watching To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Luckily, that’s also the takeaway writer-director Mega

Looking for a wholesome weekend activity that immerses you in French culture without the hefty plane fare? Oui, oui!  Well, put on your best beret and hop on over to Le Marché – French Markets at the Entertainment Quarter in the heart of Sydney. Spend a leisurely Sunday morning walking through more than 45 market stalls of French delights. From choux buns and Champagne to colourful berets and escargot, there is an abundance of French items to satisfy even the fussiest shopper. Très bien! Stock up your pantry at Le Marché’s culinary corner, a pocket of the market that you might liken to a French supermarket. Fill your baskets and mouths with farm-fresh eggs, truffles, baked treats, duck confit and, of course, all the French cheese your heart desires. Practise your high school French (which you’ve probably forgotten, except for 'bonjour') on the friendly artisans selling striped Breton t-shirts, colourful berets, linen tablecloths, straw baskets and more. Now we don’t know about you, but devouring croissants, macarons and boeuf bourguignon sounds like heaven to us. At the Entertainment Quarter, you can celebrate all things French at these fabulous markets.  Explore Le Marché – French Markets on the first Sunday of every month at the Entertainment Quarter. Find out more via the website here.

There is so much to explore in Ballarat this year, with one of the major highlights being White Night Ballarat: an evening of illuminations, projections, music and interactive works.  On Saturday, June 1, put on your woolly socks and puffer jacket to watch the city of gold light up for six hours from 6pm until midnight. You’ll be greeted by almost 40 projections, more than 100 artists and performers, and two concert stages of non-stop entertainment.  There will be performances from eight-piece powerhouse Jazz Party, late-night disco-inspired Tek Tek Ensemble, three-piece rockabilly band The Rechords, and Punjabi-Australian singer and lead of psychedelic band The Bombay Royale, Parvyn. Plus, appearances by Ballarat locals like Yacht Club DJs, Sami and Lashes.  Of course, there will be stunning projections and installations from artists who mostly hail from Ballarat and its surrounds. One of White Night’s featured works will be 'Still Here' by the late Gunditjmara, Yorta Yorta and Barkindji man Josh Muir. And you won't want to miss a series of joyful projections by Deborah Klein, a Melbourne-based creative who infuses an ethereal quality into her work. Her poignant work titled ‘Decorated Women’ depicts three women masked by moths. For those interested in slow-motion and real-time video, Lisa Walker’s ‘Slow Curtain’ projection is also a must-see. Another highlight of this captivating one-night-only event will be White Night Bites, a spotlight of Ballarat’s culinary delights. Man

When was the last time you went to see a show and the actors met you at the door, got you a drink and then flirted with you? Probably never. Luckily that’s about to change, as the Bondi Pavilion presents the Slightly Isolated Dog Production: Don Juan. This sexy and hilarious show supported by Creative New Zealand will tickle you in ways you've never been tickled, and more! If you aren’t familiar with the original master of seduction Don Juan, then strap in (or strap on) because the story of this lustful fictional man will be retold to you by five dazzling performers. The charming cast is made up of five Kiwis putting on a French accent, so you’re guaranteed a chaotic hour of fun.  The show combines physical comedy, twisted pop songs, explosive wit and a wild dress-up party for what promises to be a hilarious and raucous time. Not only are the cast having a boisterous time on stage, but they intend to bring you along for the ride too — telling the story of Don Juan with you.  Check out this fun production at Bondi Pavilion from May 23 until May 25. Tickets range from $20-$40, with under 30s getting $20 tickets plus booking. For more info, head to the website.